How to Avoid Chimney Fires

A chimney is a stack of bricks and mortar so common sense dictates that it shouldn't
ever catch fire. However there are more than 25,000 chimney fires in the USA each
year. These fires happen because a fire produces soot which clings to the brickwork
and builds up in layers. These sooty layers of carbon can ignite and cause a major
house fire. The results can of course be tragic.

The simplest way to avoid a house fire is to clean your chimney. A sweep with
a proper chimney brush at least once a year is absolutely necessary.

There are other ways to help minimise carbon build up too. The first is to ensure
you only burn hardwoods rather than softwoods. These have too much oily tar in them
which easily sticks to the bricks and is less easily removable by brushing.

Secondly avoid wet wood. This lowers the temperature of your fire. The hotter
the fire, the more likely that sooty particulates will be whooshed straight up the
chimney and out into the air without being able to settle on the chimney interior.
Because a hot fireplace and flue is good for avoiding chimney fires, contractors
these days will often inset a new insulated flue when installing a woodstove to
keep the flue hot and thereby discourage carbon build up.

Finally you should never burn plastics or any man made materials other than those
expressly designed for use in a fireplace. If you keep these tips in mind you can
be assured of a safe fireplace for many years to come.

Find out more about

wood burning stoves and all about heating your home the natural way.

Easy Tips For Cleaning Your BBQ Chimney

Cleaning your BBQ grill chimney is probably the bit that people like the least about barbecues - scraping up dirt and grease is never fun, but if you want to enjoy another barbecue and have the food taste good and be safe to eat, then it is a job that needs to be done.

A greasy, dirty grill is a haven for germs and bacteria, so you should clean your grill and BBQ chimney every time you use it, otherwise your next BBQ could make your friends and family very ill! This article will give you some tips to make the cleaning task that little bit easier.

Top Tips For Cleaning Your Grill Grate

When you are done cooking, you will need to let the coals die out. The grill must cool down before you start cleaning. You simply let it all sit while you eat your dinner with your whole family. Take your time and enjoy your barbecue. By the time dinner is done, the grill should be cool and ready for cleaning.

Start by using a stiff brush to remove any food residue from the grill grate. Next, coat ti with a thin film of oil and heat the grill for a few minutes to get rid of any remaining traces of food. Then allow the grill to cool before you put it away in a dry place until it is time for the next barbecue.

This will quickly clean the grill, leaving it ready to use, and ensuring that the grill is totally dry when you come to store it. Keeping the grill dry is very important, as excess moisture could cause the grill to rust. Heating the grill for a few minutes is the easiest way to ensure that it is dry when it is put into storage.

When To Clean a BBQ Chimney

The good news is you do not need to clean your BBQ chimney after every barbecue. The grease that accumulates in the chimney should not affect the taste of the food, and won't contaminate your food. You should still clean it periodically, however - check the inside of the chimney, and if it you notice a lot of dark soot, it is time to brush the inside of the chimney down.

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